Containers for cans



i June 9, 1959 .1. A. KlLMARTlN CONTAINERS FOR cms 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Marph 18, 1950 June 9, 1959v J. A. KILMARTIN 2,389,957

CONTAINERS FOR cANs Fi-1ed March 18. 195o s sheets-sheet 2 Ti 'Z ff? QCD@ ff =TT= :TT: fa: /6 4/6 l l l: I i: I i l `lv z: i n' i i L .iis v L =1 L 5o 4 30 j@ INVEN TOR. Jo//N A. K/z, MART/N BY 76M; aw

A TTOKNEY June 9,A 1959 J. A. KILMARTIN 2,889,957 v CONTAINERS FOR cANs 3y MQW AT TORNE Y United States Patent O CONTAINERS FOR CNS' John A. KiImartin,Yonkers,vN.Y.

Application March` 18, 1950, Serial' No; 150,416 23 Claims.` (,Cl..2`201`15`).

i sirable feature in View ofthe huge sumsl expended by bottlersl in establishing a distinctive bottle. The novel portable can carrier or` pack of' this invention has the desirable feature of displaying the distinctivecan label in addition to being readily loadedby machine.

The. portable cancarrier or pack of" this. invention is made from al single blank; Solid sections" constituting a part' of! lthe top and bottom of said'lcarrier` in'. loaded position are connected' to' one another' by af plurality4 of panels and struts. Advanta'geously,.the carrier conta-ins a carrying handle which is simply formed from the top section; a crease is placed in the top'section and; the handle is formed by bending a portion of the' top section at `right angles. The plurality of panels and struts which connect the top and bottom sectionsl are in hinged relationship thereto; the struts are medially positioned between two panels. Each panel consists of a' strip and hinged ilaps attached to said strips'l in hinged relationship; these aps can be bent fromfthe plane of' the' strips along the'hinges and are designed to hug a canlin the carrier;l The panels and struts are creased laterally'at positions deningthe top and bottom rims'ofy the' can tobe inserted in the carrier. The portions off the panelsl'ocated between said topand bottom-delining creases and the hinges connecting the panels withI the top and" bottom sections of` the carrier form part ofthe top and bottom of the carrier'in loaded position. In the' panels' the strips gradually' widen and the apsdiminish in'w-idth' a' corresponding amount in the portions of' the'panels'forming part of' the top andl bottom ofv the carrier' in loaded position?. Each can receptacle is dened'fby' two panels and a strut; the panels engage the' sides' of the can and the strut engages the back of the can and prevents rearward motion of the` can.

The portable carriers' of this invention are loadedY by bending each can receptacle' and insertingv a can into the receptacle while the panels `are spread by the. circular distortion of the carrier. When the carrier revertsl to planar position, each can' is snugly held bytwo panels and a strut. The strips' confine' the outer portion of the, can whilel the liaps snugly'l hug the side of' th'e can; a strut confines the can in thev proper position' by acting asl a support' for'the back of the can; Advantageou'sly, a carrier'unitin unassembled position is passed along a belt and formed'. As eachsuccessive can receptacle, that is, the space defined by two panels' and a strutV is bent out of planar' position, a can is inserted therein.l A clearer picture of the novel manner of loading' the carrier or pack of' this invention willbe apparent from the detailed 2,889,957. Patented June 9, 1959 description and drawings which will be presented hereafter.

The carrier is characterized by a plurality of advantages which make it outstandingly superior to available portable can carriers. The carriers of this' invention possess merchandising attractiveness, structural strength and compactness in addition to their readyadaptability to machine loading and economic preparation vfrom one strip of.'` box board.

Since the carrier of this invention displays theflabels of! the cans, as has been indicated previously, it is an aid to merchandizing. The color scheme of the carrier can be blended with the distinctive color scheme` of the canned merchandise so that the combination of carrier a'n'dldisplayed-y can is avery effective sales promoter.

The carrier or pack makes a compact unit so that a' plu"- ralityV of units may be loaded into packing cases for transportation ofwholesale lots. This feature of the container permits simple delivery of` multiple units from the packaging house to wholesale distributor and then to the retainer.

Another outstanding feature of the novel can carrier is that its structure allows the use of lighter paperl in its manufacture. The outstanding structural strength of this carrier derives from the fact that shock is absorbedby contiguous cans rather than bythe carton or a portion thereof.

The major advantage ofthe carrier or pack of this invention is its adaptability to machine loading. Time con'- suming and expensive hand loading is antiquated'by the use'of this carrier. Cans are inserted in the carrierv as it passes along a belt; as' each opening, which is framed by' two panels and a strut,.is distorted out of a straight plane, a can is inserted therein'. When the carrier reassumes a planar position, the inserted cansV are tightly and securelypositioned in` the carrier; eachcan is bound on either side 'by the strip portions' of adjacent panels; the flaps of adjacent panels snugly embrace side surfaces of the can and a strut outlines the back of the can thereby preventing movement away from the supporting strips and aps;

A further advantage ofx the novel' carrier of this in; vention is that' it can bev constructed of less paper than previously known carriers. Because of the inherent strength of the carrier, it can be made' from light weight box board. Inv addition; a carrier can' be prepared from a single strip of box board by relatively few operations which comprise merely printing, cutting and creasing. The simplicity of preparation of' this carrier willl be ap'- parent when theV accompanying drawings' are discussed in detail.

This invention characterized by' its' novel mode ofmachine loading and its feature of displaying the canned merchandise can be used either' in the form of carriers whichpossessv handles or in the form of packs which do notl possess a handle. Beer and canned juices are particularly suited for packing in carriers. A preferred carrier is of the suitcase type wherein the cans are introduced intothe carrier in'open position in double' rows and is then folded like a suitcase -to form a double row of can'swhose backs are adjacent' to one another. Other canned goods, such as frozen fruit concentrates, are par'-' ticularly adaptable tomerchandizing in handle-less. packs containing two or more cans` In the packs a row-fof cans is backed by a solid'section of box board rather than byan identical assembly of cans;

IntheV accompanying drawings there are shown various views of the novel can carrier. These drawings` will visibly demonstrate the superior features of the carrier of this invention. Figure l is a planar view of the preferred' suitcase type carrier as it' appears in: unassembled position prior to loading; Figure Z-is` aperspeotiveofart unloaded carrier which has been folded into its normal configuration; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the carrier loaded with cans. Figure 4 is an end elevation of the loaded carrier along the plane 4 4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 demonstrates how the carrier is loaded by angular distortion of the carrier resulting in spreading of the can- .cngaging panels.

Figure l is a View of an unassembled suitcase carrier. .The two portions of the carrying handle are designated .by 1 and 1. The top, 2 and 2', of the carrier comprises a solid top section 3 and 3 and the parts of the panels and struts of the carrier falling between the hinges 4 and 4' and the creases 5, 5'. The sides 7 Vand 7 of the carrier comprise those portions of the panels and struts falling between the top defining creases 5, 5 andthe bottom defining creases 6, 6. The bottom 10 of the carrier comprises the bottom section 11 and the portions of the panels and struts falling between the bottom dening creases 6, 6' and the hinges 12, 12. The panels 14, 14 comprise flaps 15, 15 and strips 16, 16'. The dotted .lines 17, 17 designate the creases which connects the strips and aps in hinged relationship. The struts 20, 20 act as a support for the back portion of the can. The solid lines 21, 21 designate the cuts by which the struts 20, 20 are separated from the panels 14, 14'.

It is apparent from an inspection of Figure l that the carrier of this invention can be manufactured from a single strip of box board. Ihe only operations involved in its manufacture from a single strip are printing, cutting and creasing.

Figure 1 is also representative of the open position in which the carrier is loaded. The carrier in open planar position is formed by hand or machine into a unit having a can receptacle and passes along a belt; as the carrier is distorted from the planar position two cans are fed into the two horizontal receptacles passing through the area of maximum distortion; thus the carrier is loaded two cans at a time until the unit is lled. When the unit is filled, the open carrier is folded like a suitcase along hinges 12, 12 adjacent to bottom section 11 of the carrier. The carrier can be locked in assembled position by staples or other conventional means locking together handle sections 1 and 1'.

Figure 2 is a perspective of an empty carrier which has been folded into the configuration it possesses when loaded. It is apparent from Figure 2 how the struts 20, 20' confine the cans and prevent backward motion thereof. It is also apparent how the strips 16, 16 and aps 15, 15' snugly contain the sides of each can. It is further apparent from Figure 2 how the top of the carrier in assembled position comprises top sections 3, 3 and portions of the panels and struts falling between the hinges 4, 4 and the creases 5 and 5. The bottom of the carrier 10 comprises solid bottom section 11 and the portions of the panel and struts falling between the bottom-defining crease 6, 6' and the hinges 12, 12.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the loaded carrier. The cans 30 are clearly visible outlined by the Strips 16. It is apparent from Figure 3 that the close juxtaposition of the cans absorbs the shocks which the carrier is subjected to in normal usage. Figure 3 also illustrates the value of the carrier of this invention as a merchandizing aid. It is apparent that a distinctive can marking is clearly visible.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the loaded carrier along the axis 4-4' of Figure 3. It is clearly apparent from this figure how the struts 20, 20 confine the cans 30 in their designated place in thecarrier. Moreover, it is apparent there is no undue strain on struts 20, 20' because of the close, substantially contiguous position of the cans. The major portion of any shock is not taken by the struts but by the cans which they confine.

Figure 5 shows how the carrier of this invention is simply loaded. Angular distortion of the carrier from planar position results in separation of the panels 14 comprising strips 16 and aps 15. In the drawing the major 4 amount of angular distortion is realized at the points 28 on the top and bottom of the carrier on the top hinge 4 and bottom hinge 12. The can 30 is inserted in the opening between the panels 16 while the carrier is in the spread position. As the carrier reassumes its normal plane of position, the can 30 is confined in its receptacle between strut 20 and between flaps 15 and strips 16 of each panel. It is apparent from this gure that the carrier can be readily loaded by machine.

Although the carrier of this invention has been illustrated with conventional flat top cans, it can also be employed for cone-top cans. All that is required to adapt the carrier to cone-top cans is a slight rearrangement in the positioning of the creases at the top of the cans. The creases in the struts are placed higher than the creases in the accompanying panels to adapt the carrier to conetop cans. Thus referring to Figure l the carrier is adapted to the use of cone-top cans by staggering the creases 5 and 5'; the creases 5, 5 are made higher on the struts 20, 20' than on the strips 16, 16' and aps 15, 15' of the panels 14, 14.

Y The invention has been described as adapted for a unit of six cans. It is apparent that the carrier is adaptable to use of either more or fewer cans per unit.

The description of the can container of this invention has been entirely devoted to suitcase carrier. It is reiterated that the invention is equally as well suited for handle-less packs. A pack would utilize but half the unit shown in the aforesaid diagrams; the row of cans which serves as a backing in the described suitcase carrier' would be supplanted by a solid section of box board. In addition, the pack does not contain a handle.

The pack-type carrier is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 6 is a view of an unassembled pack type carrier while Figure 7 is a perspective of an empty pack-type carrier. In both these gures the top 35 of the carrier comprises a solid top section 36 and parts of the panels 45 and stints 50 of the carrier falling between the hinge 37 and the crease 38. The bottom 39 of the carrier comprises a bottom section 40 and the portions of the panels 45 and struts 50 falling between the bottom-defining crease 42 and the hinge 41. The panels 45 comprise strips 46 and aps 47. The crease lines 53 connect the strips 46 and the aps 47 in hinged relationship. The struts 50 are separated from the panels 45 by the cut score lines 52. The back 55 of the pack-type carrier is connected to the bottom of the carrier 39 by the crease line 57. There is attached to the back 55 a glueing tab 56.

It is apparent that the novel carrier of this invention can be used with other cylindrical containers as well as with cans. For example, the carrier of this invention serves well in the packing of two or more glass jars.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as herenbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

l'. A portable can carrier adapted for machine loading comprising top and bottom sections, a plurality of panels consisting of strips and hinged flaps, struts medially positioned between said panels, said top and bottom sections beingl connected by said panels and said struts, both said panels and struts being in hinged relationship with said top and bottom sections, each can receptacle being'detined by a strut and two adjacent panels, said panels forming the side walls of said carrier and said struts servingV as retainers for the back of cans inserted therein, both said panels and struts being provided with lateral creases at positions dening the lower and upper rims of said cans, andl portions of said panels and struts above and below said creases forming part of top and bottom of said carrier.

2. A carrier of the type described in claim 1 in which the top section terminates in a carrying handle.

3: A carrier of the type described in claim 1 inwhich the can receptacles are lined up in two horizontal Arows so that each row of cans in the container is backed by an identical assembly of cans.

4. A portable can carrier adapted for Vmachine loading comprising a back consisting of a solid section, top and bottom sections, a front section comprising a plurality of panels consisting of struts and hinged iiaps and struts medially positioned between said panels, said top and bottom sections being connected by said panels `and struts, both said panels and struts being in hinged relationship with said top and bottom sections, each canfreceptacle being dened by a strut and two adjacent panels, said panels forming 'the s ide walls of said carrier and said struts serving as retainers for the back of cans inserted therein, both said Vpanels and struts being provided with lateral creases at positions defining the lower Yand upper rims of said cans, and portions of said panelsand struts above and below Vsaid'creases forming part of top and Ybottom of said carrier. Y

5. A process for exterior loading a can carrier adapted to hold multiple Ican units and containing a plurality of can receptacles defined by rear struts retaining the backA of said cans .and -by front panels Aretaining the sides of said cans which comprises forming said carrier so that each can receptacle is outlined, bendingsaid carrier about a pivot intermediate said rear struts and front panels out of planar position so that the side-retaining panels of said receptacles :are distended, inserting cans into said receptacles while in said distended position and restoring said carrier to a planar position whereby each can is successively retained in its receptacle by the action of the defining struts, and panels.

6. A process according to claim in which an adjacent pair of receptacles are distended and cans are inserted into said receptacles in pairs.

7 A process -according to claim 5 in which successive portions of said formed carrier are continuously bent out of planar position and said can receptacles are continuously and successively distended for insertion of'cans therein: i,

8. A container carton having individual pockets for containers and comprising a base member and a pair of top members, strut and panel elements connected with` the base member and the respective top members along corresponding lines and provided with generally upright portions alternately oiset inwardly and outwardly of said lines and having connecting portions extending respectively inwardly and outwardly from the tops and bottoms of the upright portions to connect with said members, each of said inwardly offset upright element portions cooperating with two outwardly ofiset upright element portions to provide a containerconfming cage.

9. The device of claim 8 in which the connecting por tions extending outwardly have convergent side anges and the outwardly offset upright panel elements have integral side anges extending convergently inward and connected with the side flanges rst mentioned to lie in substantially flat engagement with a coniined container.

10. A carton blank comprising sheet material having integral strut and panel elements of less length than the blank and defined along their side margins by longitudinal cut lscore lines and at the end of said elements by rst crease score lines transverse to and intersecting said cut score lines, said blank being provided with second transverse crease score lines continuous through said strut and panel elements and equally offset toward each other from said first transverse crease score lines, whereby in the course of carbon erection alternate portions of said strut and panel elements of the blank at opposite sides of a cnt score line may be equally oiset into parallel planes at opposite sides of the plane originally occupied by the blank, said plane constituting a plane common to said trst transverse crease score lines.

' score lines, whereby in the course of carton erection alter-A integral strut and panel elements of less length than the blank yand dened by longitudinal cut score lines and by iirst crease score lines transverse to and intersectingsaid cut score lines and by second transverse crease score lines olset toward each other from said first transverse crease nate elements of the blank at opposite sides of a cut score line may be equally oiset into planes at opposite sides of the plane originally occupied by the blank, said elements being further provided between alternate pairs of longitudinal cut score lines with paired longitudinal crease score lines parallel to said cut score lines and extending between said second transverse score lines wherebyl the portions of each element between said crease lines and cut lines may be hingedly moved on said last crease line into planes oblique respecting the portion of the blank between said crease lines.

12. The carton blank of claim 11 further provided with oblique lcrease score lines extending from the junctionof said crease score lines with said second transverse crease score line to the junction of said cut score line with said iirst transverse crease line whereby the portion of the blank bounded by said oblique crease score lines,l said cutscore lines and said second transverse crease line may be folded back on said oblique crease score line into face relation with the remaining portions of the blank bell. A carton blank comprising sheet material having tween said first and second transverse crease score lines.

13. A carbon blank comprising sheet material having end portions comprising handles of the carton when erected and a center portion comprising the bottom of the carton when erected, longitudinal cut score lines extending between said end portions and said center portion and terminating at said portions to define strut and panel elements, iirst crease score lines transverse to said cut score lines and intersecting the ends of said cut score lines in said end and center portions, second transverse crease score llines `continuous through said strut and panel elements and equally oifset toward each other from said iirst'transverse crease score lines, the extent of said oiset being substantially one-half the extent of discontinuity of said cut score lines across said center portion of the blank whereby in the course of carton erection said blank* may be hinged on the said rst transverse crease score lines in the center portion of the blank to fold the blank into U shape and said elements adjacent to a cut score line may be equally infolded and outfolded into parallel planes at opposite sides of the plane originally occupied by the blank proper, with the infolded portions in substantially face to face relationship throughout their length between said second transverse crease score lines.

14. The process of loading a container carton having front and rear elements forming side opening pockets arranged in end to end relation and having a medial anchorage piece to which said elements are mutually connected intermediate said front and rear elements and comprising exible joints at said connections, comprising the steps of flexing said joints and said connections intermediate said front and rear elements to widen said side openings, inserting a container in said pocket through said side opening, and restoring the joint to normal unexed position.

15. A container carton having an individual pocket for a container, said carton comprising at least three container-coniining elements mutually spaced at a distance less than the container width, at least two elements being laterally spaced in a common plane, and upper and lower anchorage members with which the elements are all connected at points between the said common plane and the third element, the elements having terminal portions extending forwardly and rearwardly above and below the pocket to said points.

16. The device of claim 15 in which at least two of said elements have integral anges extending in a direction ygenerally tangent to the wall of the confined .container.

17. The device of claim 15 in which sai-d elements and anchorage members are integral and said members are disposed in substantially parallel planes, substantially at right Vangles to said common plane of the two elements aforesaid.

18. A method of loading containers into a carton cornprising two multiple compartment sections connected by an intermediate web and each having mutually spaced front and rear elements forming side opening pockets, the front and rear elements of each section being provided with anchorage pieces intermediate said front and rear elements and to which said elements are mutually connected to constitute said connections as ilexible joints, comprising the steps of substantially aligning the sections Oppositely of the web so that the respective sections are free for flexing on said joints, and flexing corresponding joints of each said section simultaneously to widen the pocket opening of lcorresponding pockets in said sections, inserting containers into the pockets of each said section thus widened, and restoring the flexed joints to normal unexed position.

19. The method of claim 18 plus the final step of pivoting said sections on said intermediate web to dispose the rear elements in said sections in back to back relationship whereby said container pockets are aligned in adjacent rows for carrying purposes.

20. A carton comprising interconnected parts including a top, a bottom, rear wall panels and front wall panels, said rear and front wall panels `being staggered in mutually odset planes, `said top, bottom and front wall panels 4being provided with inturned interconnected flaps, said top and bottom flaps being transverse to `said front Wall panel aps to constitute braces to support said front panel flaps at a substantially xed oblique angle to said front panels to coact with said rear wall panels in defining container pockets.

21. A can package including a bottom panel, rside wall panels foldably connected along opposite edges of said bottom panel, and a top panel connecting the upper edges of said side panels, cans on said kbottom panel between said side wall panels, each side panel including therein a series of spaced apertures extending from top to bottom thereof, said apertures being substantially narrower than the diameter of said cans and having substantially parallel side edges, and inwardly extending flanges foldably connected to said side edges 4and held in diverging relation by the cans contained,

22. The construction described in claim 21 and including a pair of handle aps extending upwardly from said top panel intermediate of, and foldably connected with, said top panels.

23. A container carton comprising a front and a rear Wall, said yfront wallcomprising panels spaced to define an opening and a loading pocket behind said opening through which containers are loaded, said opening being of less Width than a container to be loaded into the pocket through said opening, said lfront wall panels having connections between panels comprising relatively flexible hinge portions laterally oiset from said panels and on which said panels vare swingable to permit widening of the spacing between panels to admit a container to the pocket, said rear wall having hinged portions, together with a top element with which the hinge portions of said front and rear walls have a common line of connection,

the front and rear walls being -otfset respectively to the front and rear of a plane common to said line.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,877 Cubberley Aug. 7, 1934 2,018,861 Mertz Oct. 29, 1935 2,070,399 Goldring Feb. 9, 1937 2,091,603 Lemire Aug. 3l, 1937 2,172,090 Powell Sept. 5, '1939 2,270,820 Kaliska Jan. 20, 1942 2,276,129 Wesselman Mar. 10, 1942 2,421,850 Ringler June l0, 1947 2,436,271 Simmons Feb. 1'7, 1948 2,504,574 Orlin Apr. 18, 1950 2,522,950 Keith Sept. 19, 1950 2,523,985 Foster Sept. 426, 1950 2,558,714 Williamson June 26, 1951 

